Improvement in marine torpedoes



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J. H. MGLEANY. Marine-Torpedo.

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J. H. MGLEAN. Marine-Torpedo.

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J. H. MGLEAN.

Marine-Torpedo. No. 222,718. Patented De'.16,1s79.

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N.PEIERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, wAsmNGTDN. n c.

JAMES H. MCLEAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-EIGHTH OF HIS RIGHT 'IO MYRON OOLONEY, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MARINE TORPEDOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,718, dated December 16, 1879; application tiled February 17, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, JAMES H. McLnAN, M. D., of the city and county of St. Louis, and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Marine Torpedoes, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are, first, to produce a torpedo which will be cheap in construction, and at the same time effective in operation; second, to produce a torpedo which will automatically attach itself to any vessel which it may be made to approach, and will remain attached to the vessel for anindefinite period until it explodes; third, to combine with a torpedo adapted to automatically attach itself to Vessels a suitable time-tiring arrangement, by which the explosion of the torpedo can be effected at the proper period; fourth, to adapt torpedoes to approach an enemy at any desired depth of immersion.

To these ends my invention consists, first, in providing a torpedo with a system of magnets, by which it may be made to attach itself automatically to any vessel which it may approach 5 second, in mounting the said 'magnets on pivots in such a manner that they will assume a position longitudinal to the torpedo when the latter is passing through the water, so as to offer the least possible resistance to the motion, and on approaching a vessel will turn against it so as to attach the torpedo effectively thereto; third, in providing a torpedo with an automatic propelling apparatus, a magnetic appliance to adapt it to attach itself to the side or bottom of a vessel, and a time iirin g apparatus to determine the period of discharge; fourth, in workin g torpedoes in pairs hinged together, and each provided with a propeller in such a manner that they may run together in parallel position until reaching the object to be destroyed, and will then be turned. end onto each other, so that any power remaining uneXpended in their respective propellers may be neutralized each by the other; iifth, in providing a torpedo with nu merous lloats of small size attached by chains, to regulate the depth of immersion.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure l is a plan view of a pair of torpedoes, one of which is shown in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of one of the said torpedoes on the line 2 2, Fig. l, the front portion being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the explosive shell or torpedo proper 011 a larger scale. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a winding-stop employed in connection with the propelling' apparatus. Fig. 5 is a perspective view, on a smaller scale, illustrating the operation of the apparatus and the mode of determining its depth of immersion.

The shell A ot' my torpedo is constructed of any preferred shape, but preferably with the customaryr conical ends shown in the drawings. Itis provided with a suitable time-tiring apparatus, B, for which purpose I prefer to use a device operating by clock-work, invented by Myron Ooloney, of St. Louis, for which device said -Ooloney proposes applying for Letters Patent.

The torpedo proper is attached by arms O O to a cigar-shaped submarine boat, D, which is kept right. side up by an air-chamber, E, and is maintained at any desired depth of submersion by numerous tloats, F F, connected ,to the boat by chains ff, of requisite length.

The said iloats consist of hollow balls of india-rubber, which will not be liable to attract attention floating in the water.

The torpedo-boat is moved through the water by a screw-propeller, G, which I prefer to drive by springs H H, acting through the medium of chains I I, fuseedrums J J ,l and gearing K.

The winding-gear consists of differential wh eels K K2, having diverse numbers of teeth, and carrying on their shafts arms 7c k2, which come together after the necessary number of revolutions, so as to form a winding-stop.

The chains I are attached to sliding heads R, working on guide-rods S, and having attached to them rigid guide-rods T, which work through apertures in the stationary head U.

0n one side of the boat are a pair of longitudinal bars, L L, between which horseshoemagnets M M are hung on vertical pivots m m, adapting said magnets to turn freely backward into longitudinal position when the boat Futon is in motion, or to turn radially outward or forward on approaching an iron ship, so as to draw and hold the apparatus in contact therewith.

In order to prevent or neutralize the attraction of the magnets M for the torpedo which carries them, any parts of the torpedo which must be made of iron or steel yare suitably magnetized.

A pair of torpedo-boats thus constructed and equipped are coupled together in front by bars N, hinged at a n to the prow of cach torpedo, the magnets M M heilig' on the outer sides ot' the boats, and iixed magnets M being also applied to the coupling-bars N.

To hold the paired boats in parallel position while passing through the water, I employ a brace, O, iixed to one boat, as at 0 0, and slipping at the other end into sockets pp in a lu g or bracket, l, attached to the side ofthe other boat. Thisattachmentholdstheboatsinproper relative position while in motion, but permits them to be drawn out ot' their parallel position by the attraction ot'v the magnets against the side or bottoni of the vessel.

The apparatus will thus be seen to operate in the following manner: The tinle-iiring mechanism I3 heilig set to produce the explosion after the required interval and the propellin g apparatus Wound up to the required extent, the boats-are started on their mission in the positions shown in Fig. 5, being carefully guided in the right direction. ing the vessel to be destroyed the magnets M' immediately draw the two boats around inline against the side ot' the vessel, Where they are held point to point, any remainin gforce in the propellers being neutralized one by the other, as they will now operate in precisely opposite directions. To render the result more cer tain, it is the intention to regulate the timetiring apparatus so that the explosion will be delayed for a considerable period, which may be half an hour (more or less) after the propellers have come to rest.

On reach..

W'hen once the numerous magnets have taken hold there is no possibility of their becoming detached.

In the event of the enemy being protected by netting extending down below the waterline, the torpedo is still rendered effective by lengthening the chainsff, so as to insure the torpedo passing 'underneath the netting. rlhe chains being then caught by the edge of the netting, the torpedo is drifted up against the ship in the most e'ectivc manner.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A torpedo provided with magnets for attachment to a ships side, as described.

2. The magnets hl, mounted on pivots m, to adapt them to turn automatically into their operative position, as described.

3. A marine torpedo provided with an automatic propelling appa atus, a magnetic appliance for attachment to the side or bottom of a ship, and a time-tiring apparatus for dctermining the period ot' discharge, substantially as set forth.

et. A pair ot' torpedo-boats, D D, hinged in front to a coupling-bar, N, and provided with suitable propellers G Gr, and with a brace, 0, adapted to hold them in parallel position while moving forward, and permitting them to be drawn into line for action, substantially as herein set forth.

5. A torpedo-boat provided with an automatic propelling apparatus, and with a iiotation apparatus consisting ot' numerous small iioats attached by chains adjustably to the said torpedo-boat, to admit; et' :regulating the depth oi' immersion, as described.

JAMES H. NIGLEAN.

Witnesses z GIL/is. A. MOODY,

ino. l. ANDREWS. 

